Daily Review of Turkish Media

e-mail: amutlu@superonline.com Editor: Aylin Sagtür Mutlu

1. HEADLINES

MANDATE TO EREZ

---------------------------------------

After paying a short visit to Kocaeli today, President Demirel will charge Yalim Ereez with forming the government. Yalim Erez, the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Yilmaz government, is an independent deputy (who satrted politics in the True Path Party-nta).

Demirel reportedly preferred Erez because he is an independent and has a dialogue with all the political party groups at Parliament. In addition economic organizations and civilian organizations support Erez.

Erez who will meet all political leaders to form a government will allegedly try to form a majority model , excluding the Virtue Party (FP). The President also prefers a majority model, rather than a minority government.

Yalim Erez, the son of a tradesman, has taken active roles at civilian organizations. He was first board member at the Istanbul Trade Chamber (ITO), then in 1998 he was named the ITA Chairman in 1998 and the TOBB (Turkish Union of Chambers and Bourses) President in 1990. An Eastern report , prepared under Erez’ orders, had caused a controversy.

Bayram Meral , the Turk-Is (Turkish Confederation of Trade Unions) leader, representing the 5-Way Civilian ınitiative (Representing workers and employers-nta),

said that "All parties want an independent prime minister. The most suitable person to the title and to us, is Yalim Erez."

THE PRIME MINISTER’S BOURSE

----------------------------------------------------------

After the President seemed to intend charging someone who is not a party leader, the chances of "prominent" candidates, are being evaluated in the political circles in Ankara, by the stock exchange analysis method.

President Demirel gives no cues on who will appoint. True Path and Virtue Parties, meanwhile, seeking a suitable atmosphere so that Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin is named.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) is favoring Sumer Oral , rather than Sezgin and Erez.

DEMIREL KEEPS ON WAITING

-------------------------------------------------

Everybody in Ankara was breathless yesterday, waiting President Demirel to name the prime minister. However, the president remained silent. He is expected to name the new prime minister today.

However there is speculations that Demirel will name a deputy who will not be able to receive a vote of confidence from Parliament and after January 10, will form an election government that will not need a vote of confidence in that case, according to the Constitution.

However Erez is now a strong candidate and ANAP and DSP support him.

(Miliyet,1,16;Hurriyet,1,31;Radikal,1,6;Yeniyuzyil,1)

***

KUTAN ACCUSES LEADERS

------------------------------------------------------

Virtue Party (FP) leader Recai Kutan accused PM Yilmaz and his assistant Bulent Ecevit of leaning on the "Deep State. Baykal, the leader of the CHP likened Ecevit and Yilmaz to a pair that always covers up for each other.

Kutan got used to politics

-----------------------------------------------

Kutan accused Ecevit and Yilmaz of leaning on the Deep State and failing to adopt democracy. Kutan said "Who is this Deep State? It can only be a Boogeyman invented by politicians who lacks popular support, to scare the people."

Kutan got used to the political literature, in his style.

(YeniSafak,1,11)

***

-----------------------------

DYP CAN BE BANNED

---------------------------------

ANAP (Motherland Party) administrators claimed that DYP (True Path Party) can be banned because of the wire tapping scandal of DYP vice chairman Meral Aksener. It was also claimed that DYP became the center of crime and this is a reason for the Supreme Court to close down the party. The warning for a closure came from ANAP deputies Ülkü Güney, Ugur Aksöz and Metin Öney. Aksöz read an article from the banning decision of RP (Welfare Party) which says: "The illegal acts and speeches of the chairman or the vice chairman can be a reason for the closure of the party" ANAP deputy Ülkü Güney asked several questions to the minister of interior:

• Which division of the intelligence department is doing the wire tapping?
• If there is such a division who is responsible from this division?
• Who has the technology to wire tap the phones?
• Why (Former interior minister at the Ciller government-nta) Meral Aksener is holding all the cassettes. Did she establish a secret service?
• What precautions are being taken to prevent a new scandal ?

(Hürriyet 24)

***

RACE IN OBSTINACY

-------------------------------

Too many locks, but no keys for an election government. President Demirel started with a formula including a party leader. He tried Ecevit, could not succeed. Now he put forward the alternative of "a third person". This alternative is accepted by ANAP, DSP and DTP, however, others have conditions. DYP is unhappy with (its former member) Yalim Erez. FP insists: "We must provide 10 ministers."

According to CHP, the new government must not be a continuation of the old.
ANAP (Motherland Party) leader supported formulas with Ecevit, but it did not work. He gives full support for a prime minister to be picked from among non - party leaders. He trusts that the names put forward will be close to ANAP. Yilmaz is unhappy with an idea of a government with FP. To party insiders he said, "Under these circumstances, it is unthinkable to include FP in the government."
First FP (Virtue Party) leader pressed for a widely participated government formula. Kutan wants his FP was to be represented heavily in such a government. Now, he accepts a non - party leader formula if this condition is fulfilled. However, ANAP, DSP and CHP are against a government formula with FP. Kutan is uncomfortable with Cankaya (The President), giving the impression that "A government with FP is impossible."
DYP (True Path Party) leader Tansu Çiller insisted on the prime minister being a party leader and herself to be appointed to form the new government. When she failed to get full support even from FP, Ciller stood alone. When she heard the message that "third party" formula has gained possibility at Cankaya, then she had problems with the names put forward.
Ecevit was the only party leader to be appointed to form the new government. He suggested, "A minority government supported from outside." He was unable to muster support for it save for ANAP and DTP. He approves of a third person formula. His only condition is that FP will not be represented in such government.
From the beginning CHP (Republican People’s Party) leader Deniz Baykal wanted to go to elections under non - party leader and a member of the parliament to be appointed as the prime minister by Demirel. Yesterday he brought forward the following condition: "The Head of the State mentioned the honor of the parliament in his meetings with the leaders. Let the new government not be under the shadow of the old one, carry its stamp or marks."
(Milliyet 1, 14)

***

COMMENTARY / ISMET BERKAN / RADIKAL

THE SECRET LETTER OF DEMIREL

----------------------------------------------------

"... President Süleyman Demirel, after approving the government of Mesut Yilmaz, gave three letters, which had been written by him before, to the new Prime Minister.

One of these letters was very important. And the content of it, was not declared until now to the public. In this letter, President Demirel, was explaining explicitly in which conditions REFAHYOL (a coalition government which had been formed by RP/ Welfare Party and DYP/True Path Party –nta) had fallen, was describing the crisis in the country and was giving the new Prime Minister a duty: "To ensure the normalization of the country". (...)

Shortly, the most important duty of new government was the ‘normalization’. In the letter all the necessary clues for this had been given. That is, the President had said what would has to be done.

Today, we see that this duty can not have been carried out. All kinds of restrictions which were on force on February 28 (The date in which the Armed Forces has given an ultimatum to the government in the National Security Council –nta) are valid today.

Today, there are rumors that, like in the RP (Welfare Party) case, a suit will be brought against another party for the reason of becoming a ‘focus’ (‘focus’ of the gangs and the shootings) with the aim of closing down this party.

Today, in front of the journalists, the President says that he will ask two questions, which he had been asked before, to the leaders once more.

Today, one of the two blocks in the Parliament, which comprises nearly two hundreds deputies, is being ignored.

Today, an extraordinary method of forming a government is being used as if it is a normal method and it is being said: ‘Let’s form a government in the chairmanship of an impartial deputy.’

Today a journalist (me) writes that a line has been drawn on a party and it’s not possible for this party to partake a government. A paper gives this news as a headline and even that party does not object to it.

Today, the leader of the biggest party of the Parliament, contacts with the other leaders to determine a name of an ordinary deputy as the prime minister.

Today all the political actors, except one (Tansu Çiller), leave aside opposing the restrictive measures, are behaving as if these are the ordinary reality of the daily life. (...) Today, the top officials at the General Staff convene often like the times of February 28. (...)

The situation is not different from that of the eighteen months before. Even it is more grave. Because the elections are coming and it’s a great possibility that these elections will be the ‘revenge’ of February 28. (...)

The ‘normalization’ is impossible from now on with this parliament. But how can a country give up to search for it?

(December 22, p.3)

***

HURRIYET OFFICIAL REPORTS CRIME AGAINST DYP DEPUTY

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ertugrul Ozkok, the Managing Director of daily Hurriyet, reported crime against True Path Party’s Deputy Chairman Meral Aksener, on grounds of bugging the phones.

Ozkok witnessed for two hours at the Prosecutor’s office, in relation to the statement made last week by Aksener (who revealed cassettes of phone conversations of Hurriyet’s officials -nta).

After witnessing, Ozkok reported crime against Aksener, saying that bugging phones is a constitutional crime and the Hurriyet daily regarded the issue as the problem of all Turkey, not only the Dogan media group.

Ulku Guney, Ugur Aksoz and Metin Oner, the deputies Chairman of ANAP told a press conference at Parliament yesterday that Meral Aksener had committed a crime and this may cause the banning of her True Path Party. However the officials of the High Court say that the crime is personal.

Daily Radikal reports that Ankara’s Deputy Prosecutor Bekir Selcuk launched an investigation into Aksener. Selcuk is investigating why all the time the "Cassettes reached to Aksener" and "The relationship between the phone bugging and the elgal personality of DYP."

(Yeniyuzyil,1,5;Radikal,1)

***

-----------------------------

SECRET SERVICE: D’ALEMA LIED TO HIS PEOPLE

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Franco Frattini, the Chairman of the commission to investigate the secret services said Prime Minister D’Alema, the Deputy Prime Minister and some ministers lied to the Italian people on the APO issue. Frattini said that the Italian government was not prepared for such a thing and it was not true that D’Alema government was not aware of APO’s arrival. Frattini also stated that the situation is worse than the Clinton – Monica case.

He added that "Abdullah Ocalan now remained at the hands of D’Alema" and caled on Italy to conclude the extradition demand on Apo.

(Milliyet 12;Radikal,8)

***

ITALIAN MINISTER: ICES MELTED

------------------------------------------------

The first Italian official Minister visiting Turkey after the two countries entered a rift on Apo, the Minister of Industry Luigi Bersani said that the ices between Turkey and Italy melted. "But there are many more things to do " added Bersani. The Italian Minister said to La Stampa daily that Turkey is expecting a right decision from Italy and his government is trying to find a solution which will not hurt the feelings of Turkish people.

(Milliyet 12)

***

IMPEACHMENT WORRY OF ANKARA

-------------------------------------------------------

Turkey got the active support of the Clinton administration at the APO crisis with Italy and Syria and also S-300 crisis with Southern Cyprus. Now Turkey is worried about the impeachment process towards US President Bill Clinton. It is now a big question if vice president Al Gore is going to have the same policy towards Turkey after Clinton’s impeachment. Clinton administration considers Turkey as a key country in the region and Turkco – US relations became closer ever than before.

APO Crisis: Clinton administration made pressure to Syrian government not to support PKK and its leader APO. And also US did not react to the military pressure of Turkey which means an indirect support.

Azerbaijan Oil: Clinton administration supports Bakü – Ceyhan pipeline which will carry Caspian oil to western markets.

S-2000 Crisis: Turkey and US has different approaches to the solution for the Cyprus crisis but Washington opposes the deployment of S-300s in southern Cyprus, saying that these may can cause a war. Clinton Administration wants the termination of the agreement between Russia and Southern Cyprus and if this is not possible US says that Greece shall purchase the missiles and deploy it to Crete.

(Milliyet 15)

***

COMMENTARY / ENIS BERBEROGLU / HURRIYET

BARZANI AND TALABANI ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN APO

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...) At the end of last year Richard Perle has drafted a plan to topple Saddam and offered it to the White House. (...)

(According to this plan –nta)

1. Washington would recognize the democratic opposition front as the temporary government in Iraq and make it possible the representation of this government in the UN.
2. Some part of the Iraqi assets which had been blockaded in the foreign banks after the occupation of Kuwait in 1990, would be given to this temporary government.
3. The embargo would be abolished on the regions, which are out of the control of Saddam (mainly on Northern Iraq) and the welfare of these regions would attract the people of Iraqi to these regions.
4. To help the propaganda of the opposition against Saddam TV and radio stations would be found.
5. It would be given logistic support to the army of the opposition for building an air defense system.

(...) US and the GB, will try to found a ‘diplomatic front’ against Saddam in the coming period, like in 1990. It’s clear, which forces will start the movement against Saddam: The ‘peshmerge’ armies of Barzani and Talabani who were forced to sign a peace agreement in US. It’s also clear which land will be used as the bridgehead at the operation against Saddam: The Northern Iraq Federal Kurdish State.

So, Turkey has to follow the Northern Iraqi Kurdish leaders, guided by Washington, as cautious as Apo in Rome. "

(22 December, p.12)

***

SADDAM WILL TAKE REVENGE

-----------------------------------------------------

Saddam Hussein, the Head of State of Iraq is preparing to order terrorist raids on US and British targets.

Intelligence organizations determined that to take revenge of the Desert Fox operation, Hussein is preparing to order terrorist raids on his opponents as well as British and American interests. The probable targets of Saddam was then taken under protection.

Intelligence units say that Saddam does not have any special teams to carry out such raids abroad but may easily make use of radical Islamist groups.

(Yeniyuzyil,1,11)

***

------------------

CENTRAL BANK FOREIGN CURRENCY RATES

------------------------------------------------------------------------

***